With the imminent arrival of Jermain Defoe expected to be announced as soon as Jozy Altidore passes his medical with Toronto FC these are exciting times to be a Sunderland fan. But who else can Gus Poyet aim to bring in to help create chances for the former Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur striker? Sunderland have the luxury of still having one domestic loan at their disposal, and Lee Congerton and Poyet would be crazy to not use this option to help bolster their team, which has only scored 18 goals in 21 Premier league clashes so far. So who are the realistic options for Poyet to try and secure before the window slams shut? Adnan Januzaj Januzaj has had a very frustrating season so far under Louis van Gaal and a loan option to remain in the Premiership could be one that interests the Dutch manager and the Belgium midfielder. There will be plenty of interest from around the world for the 19-year-old after a brilliant start under David Moyes, and Poyet could offer him the perfect chance to shine again in the English league. Januzaj, who chose the Belgian national set up rather than England certainly has the talent to help Sunderland create chances but Poyet may be looking for a stronger central midfield addition instead of trickery and craft for the remainder of the season. Mousa Dembele Again, this may be a little ambitious for Congerton and Poyet to secure but he is the exact type of player that Sunderland are lacking. Someone who can pick the ball up from midfield and burst on through the middle, something we all thought Jack Rodwell could have done in his opening stages of his Sunderland career. Dembele has played 12 times for Spurs so there is potential for him to use a loan move to show his talent and play more games to other managers. He can be played in the middle or also as an attacking centre midfielder to help Seb Larsson and Lee Cattermole in tricky games home and away. Will he swap London life for a scrap up in the North East; we all hope he has the same thoughts as Jermaine Defoe. please log in to view this image Aaron Lennon could add pace, goals and assists to a team struggling to find the back of the net (Picture: Getty Images) Aaron Lennon It comes as no surprise that Sunderland are today linked to Aaron Lennon so this could work as either a domestic loan or a permanent move for the English winger. Stoke have supposedly tabled a £7m bid and this leads you to think he is definitely up for grabs this month. Lennon has been told by Pochettino that he will not be in his plans and Poyet could use this to his advantage by trying to secure a player who has an eye for goal but also would add some much needed pace to one of the slowest teams in the league. Scott Sinclair A very similar player to Lennon, but again he could add what Sunderland are lacking, directness, pace and support for Defoe, Darren Fletcher and Connor Wickham. Sinclair, who only has 18 months of his contract remaining could look at what happened to his former team mate Jack Rodwell and use his move as incentive to direct his career towards Wearside too. However, will Poyet want to add someone when he has a number of wingers already at the club. Jonny Evans A fans favourite, Evans was simply superb during his time at Sunderland under Roy Keane as he secured promotion to the Premier league in 2007. He has progressed at Manchester United but has never felt the first choice for them so another loan move could help his career again. He would add pace, experience and quality distribution to a defence that has done well his season but still has room for improvement. Kurt Zouma Zouma has began to start more games for Chelsea under Jose Mourinho and looks the most unlikely of all the above mentioned to come to Sunderland. Poyet has already stated his interest for the French defender in the summer but if he were to move anywhere it would probably be to a bigger European club. I have not mentioned Fabio Borini as I think we have now finally moved on from the Italian after the never ending saga in the summer but if we can attract any of the above to compliment Defoe, the Sunderland fans can head into the second half of the season with more excitement and belief.
You've no chance of getting Evans, sadly. Our defenders are as injury prone as ever and without additions we won't let any go. Evans however, would be my first choice to ditch, he's been absolutely awful this season. Lennon's the most over rated player in PL history, how that kid has managed to stay at a top club his entire career is beyond me, no end product whatsoever. I'd like to see you loan Januzaj, I've said that enough times now though so won't go into that again.
He hasn't been at a top club all his career. He started at Leeds. I expected better from a Man U fan.
Dembele, Januzaj or Sinclair in that order for me. Agree with Terry re: Evans and Lennon and Zouma seems a very outside chance but with the Chelsea connection you never know.
Januzaj makes a lot of sense. Wasting on the bench. Brilliant talent. **** Lennon. Fast, but ****. The fast part would really help tho. Evans and Zouma ain't going anywhere. Zouma started last week in place of Cahill. Mo needs him for cover, as LVG needs Evans.
I'd love to get Dembele. Loves to beat a man in midfield and has a great shot on him. Very different option to our plodding CMs
Not sure why people think Dembele is that good tbh Average at best when I have seen him tbh Not keen on Lennon either Januzaj on loan would be good Evans would certainly help our defensive issues Zouma would never happen Would take Sinclair though, sure he is available for £2.5m
This article is just from a Sunderland fan saying players he wouldn't mind us signing Januzaj is the only realistic one that I would take. Lennon maybe, only because he is lightning quick. Not Sinclair though
Did you copy the headline WMS? There's no such thing as the Premiership.... Although John Carver doesn;t know that!
Zouma will be staying put, for sure. They sent that Kalas out on loan I think, I'd make him their 3rd choice centre half now. I reckon somebody's gonna get Januzaj on deadline day, but LVG will want players in before that, or at least a guarantee that Ashley Young's injury is all cleared up.
They still got the hump with us for doing 'The Poznan'? Will that be held against us if we try for Januzaj?
Think it was mainly Fergie who got his arse out over that. Cant see LVG giving two hoots. Poyet may or may not want him however so that would be that anyway.
Janujaz looked good for a time last season but I'm not convinced he's the player you need coming in as a priority. Dembele is a risk as he's hardly played, was a great player at Fulham - some time ago... Lennon is good but too expensive for what he is, Sinclair is decent but better than AJ? Not convinced. Zouma and Evans wont go anywhere as they are both going to get runs out with their current teams - unless Utd buy some defenders in the next fortnight I just don't see it. If you can loan Dembele from around 2011 then yeah do it.
Nah, we slapped you 3-1 for that at Old Trafford, we don't hold grudges. I think he's got to go to a team where he's gonna get games, and to a manager who will play attacking football, to feet and with respect, aren't deemed a threat to our season objectives. That doesn't leave too many possibilities in this league, sadly!
How many of our central midfielders can, from a standing start, go past a man one-on-one and drive forward with the ball? Answer: none. Cattermole and Bridcutt are obvs not really in the team to do that but Larsson, Gomez, Giaccherini May all have the ability but none have the pace to run away from someone with the ball. Would add a much-needed new dimension IMO. Rodwell was signed in the hope he'd do this but we haven't seen it so far. He'd be a very different option for us.
Dembele has it all potentially. Looked a real player for a time at Spurs. Be interested in their fans take on him. Didn't he get relegated while on loan at Fulham? If Poyet wants him it has promise
